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Sunday, May 8, 2011

Things I LOVE about my Mom.

{Isn't she cute?}

*My mom is the most selfless person I know. Every since I was a little girl, I always remember her doing random acts of kindness for others. She’s been either a ward or stake Relief Society President pretty much her entire life and I have never once heard her complain. She is always giving people rides, making families dinner, calling someone to check in on them....she taught me the phrase “Service never comes at a convenient time” and I know she knows that more than anyone.

*She is ALWAYS positive. No matter what is going on in our lives, she ALWAYS has something good to say and ALWAYS makes us feel better. Joe and I always laugh because if we are ever down and out on a particular matter, my mom ALWAYS tells us....”At least you have your health...and that’s something to be grateful for!”

*She never talks bad about anyone. Doesn’t really gossip either.

*She taught me an appreciation for music at a very young age. I can distinctly remember my mom playing The Carpenters or Christopher Cross on our huge wooden record player at home. She knew all the words to every song. And when she cleaned, she had her ‘cleaning music’ blaring (which was always the local soft rock radio station). We made fun of her for that but I now find myself doing the same thing when I clean.

*She taught us the value of never giving up. We were never allowed to quit ANYTHING and I am so grateful for that. Growing up, we all went through a spell of wanting to quit playing the piano and she made us all stick it out and we are all so grateful for that talent now that we are older!

*She made the best school lunches. We laugh now, because looking back, if she was out of bread, she would make us a pb&j on Saltine crackers and put it in our lunch. And if she was out of a ‘snack’ she would put chocolate chips in a baggie for us. No matter what, she always had a bag lunch ready for us. And she always left us notes, written on our napkins that told us she loved us.

*My mom is a social butterfly. She attracts friends wherever she goes and seems to make friends instantly. She taught me what it means to be a ‘true’ friend to someone.

*My mom loves Diet Coke just as much as I do. She can have one first thing in the morning and last thing at night without it even effecting her. I’m the same way. Love that.

*She has such a funny sense of humor. She laughs at everything. I think my family is the only family on the planet that finds it funny when we see someone fall.

*She ALWAYS had a hot breakfast for us growing up. Back in VA we had to get up super early for seminary in the morning and my mom always made sure we had something good to eat in the morning. Scrambled eggs, pancakes, french toast. It was VERY rare when we had to eat cold cereal.

*She’s a wonderful entertainer. Her motto has always been...”The more the merrier”. I remember having Thanksgivings at our house in VA and we’d sometimes have up to 30 people over. All friends and people from our church who didn't have family to share the holidays with.

*She has made me appreciate diversity in others. Being raised in a suburb of Washington D.C. we were surrounded by people of all different race and religion and we embraced them all and never thought twice about it. My mom has always had friends with such diverse backgrounds and has always treated everyone equally. I love that.

I could go on and on. When I went to college at S.U.U. in Cedar City, UT which is where my mom and dad grew up, people who knew HER, and grew up with HER, were constantly telling ME (when they found out I was her daughter) that I looked just like her and reminded them so much of her. That was the biggest compliment anyone could ever pay to me.

Wow you have an awesome Mom and sense that you are following in her footsteps quite nicely. Thanks for sharing your visiting teaching handouts with us. Both of my daughters and I use them each month. Thanks for sharing your gifts and talents with the rest of us. Kathy Layton